The wilderness is a great leveler. Whether the wilderness is physical or spiritual, no matter the view we have of ourselves, the wilderness does not care, it must be approached with care. On my many trips into the heart of the Adirondack Mountains of New York, I cannot recount the number of times when the young, fit and overly zealous backwoods athlete either hobbled out of the wilderness, or were carried out by park rangers. See, the wilderness does not care, it is where we are humbled.

The Torah portion of בְּמִדְבַּר/Bamidbar, “in the wilderness,” begins:

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד

“And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai in the Tabernacle of the congregation…” (Numb. 1:1).

The Torah was given in the wilderness, from Mt. Sinai and down on the valley floors. Out there in the wilderness anger, fear, frustration, rebellion, hunger, thirst, sacrifice, revelation, and even faith happened. The Sinai wilderness, a harsh, prickly and hated land, was the very place where the Lord brought His people to begin His renewal of them.

The portion called Bamidbar (Numb. 1:1-4:20) is usually read the week preceding the celebration of Shavuot, the feast of weeks. Why? In order to receive divine revelation (remembered on the feast of weeks), we must become empty in order to receive, as it says in Bamidbar Rabbah 1:7, “The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai” – it is, that anyone who does not render himself like a wilderness, accessible to all, is unable to acquire wisdom and the Torah. That is why it is stated: “In the wilderness of Sinai”

What is this speaking of? Humility. Paul writes, “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Ro. 12:3). Even more, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3).

Where the wilderness does not care, the Lord who meets us there does. Therefore, we should not only care, but we should, as Messiah taught, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you; for this is the law and the prophets” (Matt. 7:12).

So many of the commandments of the Lord require us to hear, see and respond to the needs of the community. If we are arrogant, selfish, or narrowly focused we miss His revelation, and the people who need us to respond.

The wilderness may be fraught with potential difficulty, but there in the wilderness a meeting happens. Between the Lord and His people, and in that meeting we discover an oasis in the desert, help in the harsh conditions, fruit in the dry places of life. Why?

His Word is the promise, and His Word is fruitful in the lives of His renewed people. The wilderness, in His view, is not a place of isolation, but intimacy. It is not a destination, but a vital part of our journey with Him. It is out there, in that wilderness, where He sets us in order, where he opens us to hear our fellow, breaking a spirit of isolation in a place often thought to be isolating. Out there we taste and see that He is good (Ps. 34:8.)

Finally, it is in that isolated wilderness where we recognize that we matter to Him. How? There He counts us. When Israel was counted in the wilderness, the rabbis teach that each member of the tribes had to be counted face to face, with a leader learning the name of each person. See, where we believe we are isolated and alone, is right where we are counted, and in being counted, we are known to the greatest leader of all, Yeshua/Jesus.

Messiah meets and prepares us in wilderness spaces, and there He calls us to community … by name. You matter saints.

Maranatha. Shalom.

In the portion of Emor (say), the Torah commands us to count the days between Passover and Pentecost, in a pattern of seven weeks of seven days plus one = 50 days. As we read in Leviticus 23:15-16:

“You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord.”

The command for counting the Omer/sheaf was written in the plural, as a command to everyone in the community. As individuals we count the days. This we can easily note in our own lives, as we count the days leading to something special or important: birthdays, anniversaries, vacation, etc.

In the portion called בְּהַר/Behar, “on the mountain,” once again we open with the command to count. This time, not once but twice. First, in Leviticus 25:1-7, we find another pattern of seven. For six years there is sowing and reaping in the Promised Land, but in the seventh year, הַשְּׁמִטָּה/šᵊmiṭṭâ, there is the year of release (Deut. 15:9), the year when the fruit of the field is allowed to drop and is rendered ownerless. Second, in Leviticus 25:8-10 (cf. 11-34) we find yet another cycle of seven, this time leading to the יוֹבֵל/yôḇēl, Jubilee, the year of restoration. While the language of counting the Omer is in the plural, the language of the Jubilee is in the singular. It is the duty of the people vested in the office of their leaders, specifically in Jewish history, the Beit Din, or the house of judgment (Sanhedrin) to count. Why?

As individuals we are often caught up with our days, and the counting of the days of direct importance to us. This is not a judgment, only an observation, as these days are also matters of great concern. However, leaders must give attention to the years, and the long-term welfare of the people they are leading. As individuals, we consider how today’s decision impacts tomorrow in most cases.

Leaders must consider the impact of today’s decision fifty years from now. Leaders build, not for themselves, but for the community of today, tomorrow, and the future generations. The challenge in the portion of Emor/say was for the individual to count the days. The challenge of Behar/on the mountain is to count the years.  

Counting forward, either the days or the years, in biblical faith is anchored to the past in the form of testimony.

If you are reading this, you are probably a leader of some sort. Those born-again in Messiah Yeshua/Jesus have been given a responsibility as servant leaders, the responsibility to make disciples, learners who will continue in the faith. In Matthew 28:18-20 Messiah said,

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

How do we have future generations of messianic disciples? The working of the Holy Spirit, and the continuation of discipleship in the Body of Messiah. Making disciples links the next generation of the faithful to the past as we teach God’s Word and share our testimony.

Counting the days and the years ensures that we are attentive to the presence of the Lord in our home, as well as our community. Counting the years reminds us that He has promised the endurance of His community by our continued faithfulness to His Word, and our invested involvement in the lives of others in the world around us.

Will we raise the offering of our days before Him (Pentecost)? Will we then give witness to His faithfulness to forgive and restore by walking in forgiveness (release) and restoration (freedom)? This is the challenge before us, to walk as our Messiah walked, especially when His example hurts.  

Maranatha. Shalom.